Fuel cap assembly for a fuel tank of a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A fuel cap assembly for use with a fuel filler neck of a fuel tank is provided that includes a housing for removably securing and sealing the fuel cap assembly to the filler neck of the fuel tank, an exterior cover mounted to the housing, the housing being provided with a flange extending downwardly from the upper surface of the cover, and a retainer ring being rotatably coupled to an inner periphery of the flange of the exterior cover, a tether being connected to the retainer ring.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The subject invention relates generally to a fuel filler cap assembly for automobile fuel tanks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Most vehicle fuel tanks include a filler neck extending from the fuel tank, and a removable fuel cap to seal the fuel tank from the atmosphere. Conventionally, there have been a general type of fuel cap that is provided with a tether fixed to one side thereof, a type of fuel cap that has no tether, and a small-sized type of fuel cap that is provided with a tether in the middle of a cap cover. FIG. 1a shows the general type of fuel cap, FIG. 1b shows the small-sized type of fuel cap, and FIG. 1c shows the type of fuel cap that has no tether.

[0003] As shown in FIG. 1a, the fuel cap assembly includes a housing 2 for threading onto the fuel filler neck 7 and an exterior cover 1 having a handle 9. The housing 2 includes a seal 8 for sealing engagement with the filler neck 7. The exterior cover 1 is provided with a projection 3 on an outer circumference thereof for connecting the exterior cover 1 with a retainer ring 5. The tether 4 is connected to the retainer ring 5. With this configuration, the part “A” can interfere with a filler box 6.

[0004] For this reason, the fuel caps shown in FIG. 2 or 3 come into use when the filler box is small.

[0005] However, the small-sized type fuel cap has a problem in that a hand of a user will be caught in the tether while rotating the fuel cap, and the general type of the fuel cap has a problem in that the retainer ring gathers foreign substances and consequently the rotation of the retainer ring becomes harder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a fuel cap assembly comprises a housing for removably securing and sealing the cap assembly to the filler neck of the fuel tank, an exterior cover mounted to the housing, the housing being provided with a flange extending downwardly from the upper surface of the cover, and a retainer ring being rotatably secured to an inner periphery of the flange of the exterior cover, a tether being connected to the retainer ring.

[0007] Preferably, a first projection is formed on the inner periphery of the flange of the exterior cover, and a second projection is formed on an outer periphery of the retainer ring, the second projection being connected to the first projection such that the retainer ring is rotatably coupled to the inner periphery of the flange of the exterior cover.

[0008] In a further alternative embodiment of the invention, a cover has a periphery and an inside and an outside, and includes a handle portion on the outside to facilitate gripping the fuel cap assembly. A housing centrally extends from the inside of the cover and is configured to mate with a fuel filler neck. An annular flange extends from the periphery of the cover in the same direction as the housing, that is, toward the inside. An inward projection formed around the annular flange projects inward toward the housing. A rotatable ring defines an outward facing annular channel, wherein the channel mates with and is captured by inward flange projection such that the ring rotates freely around the flange. A tether for securing the fuel cap assembly is mounted on the rotatable ring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention, where:

[0010]FIGS. 1a, 1 b and 1 c are schematic sectional views of fuel cap assemblies according to the prior art; and

[0011]FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a fuel cap assembly according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 2, the fuel cap assembly 100 according to the present invention comprises a tubular housing 10 for removably securing the fuel cap assembly to a filler neck 110 of a fuel tank (not shown). An annular seal 11 is disposed in the tubular housing 10 for sealing engagement with the filler neck 110. Preferably, the seal 11 is an annular compressible seal that engages with an exterior rim of the filler neck 110 to seal the fuel tank. An annular exterior cover 20 is mounted to the housing 10, the cover 20 being provided with a handle 21 and a flange 23 extending downwardly from the upper surface of the cover 20. A circular first projection 25 is formed on the inner periphery of the flange 23 of the cover 20. An annular retainer ring 30 is rotatably connected to the exterior cover 20, and a second projection 30 a is formed thereon.

[0014] The second projection 30 a is connected to the first projection 25 of the flange 23 so that the retainer ring 30 is rotatably coupled to the exterior cover 20. A tether 31 is connected to the retainer ring 30 for securing the cover 20 to an outside surface of the filler neck when the cover 20 and the housing 10 are removed from the filler neck 110.

[0015] With this configuration, the retainer ring 30 gathers much less foreign substances, and therefore the cover 20 and the housing 10 can be smoothly rotated to refill the fuel tank with fuel.

[0016] Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail hereinabove, it should be clearly understood that many variations and/or modifications of the basic inventive concepts herein taught that may appear to those skilled in the present art will still fall within the sprit and scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A fuel cap assembly for use with a fuel filler neck of a fuel tank, the fuel cap assembly comprising: a housing for removably securing and sealing the fuel cap assembly to the filler neck of the fuel tank; an exterior cover mounted to the housing, the cover being provided with a flange extending downwardly from an upper surface of the cover; a retainer ring being rotatably coupled to an inner periphery of said flange; and a tether connected to the retainer ring.
 2. The fuel cap assembly of claim 1 wherein a first projection is formed on the inner periphery of the flange of the exterior cover, and a second projection is formed on an outer periphery of the retainer ring, the second projection being connected to the first projection such that the retainer ring is rotatably coupled to the inner periphery of the flange of the exterior cover.
 3. A fuel cap assembly for use with a fuel filler neck of a fuel tank, comprising: a cover having a periphery and an inside and an outside, said cover including a handle portion on the outside to facilitate gripping the fuel cap assembly; a housing centrally extending from the inside of the cover, configured to mate with the fuel filler neck; an annular flange extending from the periphery of the cover toward the inside; an inward projection formed around the annular flange, projecting inward toward the housing; a rotatable ring defining an outward facing annular channel, wherein said channel mates with and is captured by said inward flange projection such that the ring rotates freely around said flange; and a tether mounted on said rotatable ring. 